The Jugglery Of Words
by Lampazo
Summary: They should know from the beginning, that their usual jugglery of words would lead to something like this.


**The Jugglery Of Words**

**Summary:** They should know from the beginning, that their usual jugglery of words would lead to something like this.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Naruto. That's all.

* * *

"…And after this meeting, if I'll survive four hours of council's jabbering, you are going to accompany me to Hyuugas. Honestly, don't catch all this pomp around Heir Confirmation, but if they really…"

"I'm not going to accompany you." He said nonchalantly, through his eyes studied her with deep hided smirk. Since she was standing against the window, from his armchair he could see only her outline in the morning sun.

"Excuse me?!" She cocked an eyebrow, what he more assumed then actually saw, hands on hips. "And why don't you?"

"Come think about it, you are the Suna representative, and I am the Nara heir, so our consequence on the Clan Heir confirmation is almost equal, what takes us to the gender point." Looking at her, Shikamaru hardly suppressed the urge to smirk: he _knew_, that she hated his "man and woman crap", but couldn't resist the chance to tease her a little, "And, judging from this,_ you_ are going to accompany _me_."

"Oh really, Nara-sama?" Temari's voice was suddenly acid, although remained unloud. " Must I be still during the evening so as not to disturb you, or you let the humble woman to put in a word or two? "

She crossed the room in three fast steps and stood directly in front of him:

"I don't care about your freaking chauvinistic calculations, _dear_, so…"

_Ouch._ They weren't lovers or something, so when she was beginning to call him pet names, it only meant, that she was really annoyed – absolutely not kind of thing that he was looking forward to. And through the years he learned better not to resist her in such cases- not that he was kind of being very resistant anyway.

"Trou…"

"Don't you dare "troublesome" on me, Shikamaru! So, you are going to accompany me to Hyuugas at eight o'clock, and we both know that you better not to be late."

He sighed in defeat, rubbing his neck:

"Got it, got it, woman."

She grinned at him over shoulder, while opening the door:

"Dress properly, you don't want to disgrace me. Oh, and thanks for taking my schedule from the Godaime!"

Not waiting for response, she left the office.

* * *

Temari inwardly grimaced. She had been the diplomat for nearly three year now, but still found it oppressively hard to stand all this obligatory formal events. Outwardly she was looking collected and intent, but for real, she was bored out of her mind. The ceremony has been being held for nearly two hours now and consisted only of Hyuuga Hiashi's solemn drivel and oaths of branch family.

She sighed and cast a sidelong look at Shikamaru, who was standing next to her. Bastard managed to transform his trademark generally annoyed expression into something deferential and fixed it on his face (through she suspected, that he was only napping with his eyes open – she had caught him once).

_By the way, __bastard doesn't look bad in his formal clothes. _

She sighed again. She really was bored out of her mind.

Apparently hearing her sighing, Shikamaru slightly turned his head, looked at her, eyes locking for a couple of seconds, and looked away idly.

* * *

They were standing in the middle of the large ceremonial hall, waiting to talk to Hiashi and finally go out of here.

"How long did it last again? Seven years?"

"Only three hours, and I'm seriously curious, how can you stand in a battle for so many hours, since you are getting tired so easy? Besides, think of Hanabi – she is probably squeezed out after all this rituals, and she is only twelve."

Temari smirked:

"Not my fault that she became Chuunin so early."

"Oh, someone is jealous?"

"I am not!"

"Sure, sure, you are _so _not…"

Luckily for Shikamaru, it was their turn to thank the Hyuuga leader, so she couldt respond.

They bowed to high-blown looking Hanabi's father.

"From all Sunagakure and personally from the Kazekage and his family we congratulate your family in view of the new Heir. We believe that relations between our villages will allow us maintaining connections with your noble clan, too, and we are looking forward for it."

He nodded:

"Thank you. We appreciate it. I can see your union with Nara clan. Wise decision."

Temari nearly choked "We are not…", but suddenly became frozen.

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama. Nara Clan also sends our best regards to Hyuugas." - Shikamaru's voice was calm and steady, and familiar hold of _Kagemane _strong and annoying, as always.

Both men bowed simultaneously.

"Shikamaru-san. Temari-san."

"Hiashi-sama."

As long as Hiashi was gone to talk to someone else, Shikamaru released Temari, and the latter immediately grabbed him by the elbow and practically dragged in the corner.

"What the fuck was it?! My_ union _with Nara clan?" – Her hiss would make Orochimaru proud, - "Now he thinks, that we are what? Engaged?!"

"Probably. And he doesn't give a shit: it's only a political move in his eyes, he is full of it."

Young man raised an eyebrow, - "More over, I think, he already forgot about it. But he would be deeply offended, if you ruined etiquette of conversation. He is Hyuuga after all."

"And now he thinks, that we are together! Charming!"

"You know, he is not Ino, and isn't going to spread rumors around the village-or are you imagining him drinking tea with elders, and blabbering about our private life? And, once again, he is not Ino to listen your diffuse discourse about our friendship."

"Just admit that you are burning inside to make me your fiancée," - She grinned, lifted her chin and looked down on him, maximally self-aware as she could manage.

He snorted sarcastically.

"Sure. Busted. Now let's go, I will walk you to your apartment."

* * *

They were walking down the streets of Konoha, him looking quietly around, and her being lost in thoughts.

Sure, they were friends. Just odd ones. Knowing each other for more than five years, working together for a long time. Nowadays they could spend their free time together also, voluntarily, and it was a mutual feeling – despite the fact, that they were wrangling half the time(very uncharacteristic for Shikamaru, but she somehow _was making _him argue).

Temari scratched the back of her head uncomfortably – the bun there was very uncommon to her, she preferred her usual hairstyle, but formalities were formalities, and now she was suffering them through little evil hairpins.

Shikamaru smirked, noticing her misery, and quickened his pace a little:

"You will be at home soon enough, stop scratching."

She scowled and pulled the pins out of hair – more in spite of him, than from actual pain. It fell inaccurately on shoulders, never curling, but turning in random angles instead. She didn't care at all.

They stopped against the door of her temporary apartment and turned to face each other.

"You always look vulnerable with you hair down," - he lighted a cigarette and traced his eyes towards her, half-inspecting.

"Are you calling me weak?" – Temari certainly was not the one to miss the hit.

"Oh, cut it out. You're not weak."

"Damn strait I'm not."

"But still, look vulnerable." – He raised his free from cigarette hand casually and almost touched her hair, but dropped it instead. They never touched each other, if it wasn't completely necessary. It was one of the outspoken rules of their friendship.

She felt little shiver down her spine.

_We _are _odd friends._

There were moments like this – when they were sharing long stares, almost glares, filled with something she couldn't quite explain, but tried sometimes anyways. Feeling of sincere friendship from his side – she figured it out, since nothing followed _never, _and a simple blast of hormones from her side, which she had learned to suppress successfully, afraid not to ruin interrelation they had made. Yes, only hormones, she assured herself mentally, it was only Konoha surroundings, which made everything seem more bright and mystical. Almost romantic – something, what their relationship totally lacked.

_Damn hormones. _

She was the one to break the silence:

"Your forgiven. Still friends, aren't we?"

He nodded, throwing his cigarette:

"As troublesome as it is." – And muttered, almost whispered, "Even if we are missing one friend here."

Blonde's eyes widened for a second.

_What the?.._

"Goodnight, Temari. Try not to oversleep tomorrow," - the usual, ironic and indifferent Shikamaru waved her goodbye.

"More fairly in your case. See you." – She smirked, opened the door idly, and closed it after herself calmly.

And slipped down it inside.

_Once again, what was it__?! Missing one friend here?_

That was it. She was tracked. He was freaking genius after all – no doubts he had figured out the content of her gazes - and was too fucking gentle to say it directly. Oh, by the way, what could he think about it?! Its not that she could explain it to him: "Look, it's not about the whole liking thing, it just that I'm, like, a girl and you are a boy, so my estrogen goes crazy around you. I don't love you, not at all". Pathetic. She could hardly believe it by _herself_.

_Lame. Cra-ap. _

She was just too tired. Things would be okay tomorrow. And no need to panic.

It hadn't save Temari from losing her sleep for the half of night.

* * *

Things weren't okay next day.

Through she had woken up much calmer next morning and, while they had spent most part of the day together with paperwork, nothing involving previous evening was said, something certainly was _wrong_.

She couldn't stop herself from thinking about his words, and his long stares weren't helping at all.

_He neve__r used to look at me_ that_ much._

He seemed a little bit distracted, so she became concerned – was becoming more and more, perplexing in the net of her own thoughts.

An if it wasn't enough, stupid hormones went wild – sometimes it cost Temari almost physical effort to suppress the urge of touching him and hide all her anxiety under usual smirk.

* * *

Two days later, they were walking silently at the direction of her home – after another day of dreary paperwork and intense stares.

Stepping inside her apartment, Temari was ready to say him goodbye and go welcome evening, full of oppressive thoughts, when Shikamaru suddenly put his hand on the doorjamb.

"May I come in?"

That was serious. Not that he never had been in her house, but she _always_ was the one to invite him. She shrugged, trying to sound uninterested:

"Of course. You're welcome."

Walking in, he crossed the little hall and entered the living room directly, making himself comfortably on the big black cough.

"Want some tea? I'm not sure, that I have…"

"Sit down, Temari. I guess we need to talk."

She felt herself startled for a moment.

_Temari. I have a VERY bad feeling about this. _

Hesitating inwardly, she motioned into the room and sat on the armchair against him.

_Collect yourself._

"So, what are we talking about, smart ass?" She gave him lopsided smirk.

He bended slightly forward to her and sighed.

"About two friends."

She darkened immediately.

_So that's the moment of truth. No more room for misconceptions, huh?_

Giving her two seconds, he continued:

"We are speaking about a girl and a boy, who have been friends for a long time. Or used to be friends, to be correct."

Temari could feel her ears starting to burn, and her hands being suddenly deadly cold.

_Is it necessary to speak about us in third face? Damn his gentleness. _

"One of them can't be counted for a friend now. I suppose, it wasn't something sudden, more likely a long way to develop and admit some… feelings. Once admitted, they seemed to grow in one of them, through forbidden completely to show…"

Blood was pumping into her temple.

"…In fear to lose their friendship. Because another one," he glanced quickly at her, piercing brown eyes inspecting her gloomy face and shook his head bitterly, suddenly looking everywhere but her, "was always only friend.

Even if she knew about it, Temari's heart fell.

"I think it was safe for one of them till recently. But gradually everything started becoming apparent, so I thought that it would be only fairly to clarify the situation."

She nodded:

"I understand it. And through I really appreciate your delicacy, you could stop beating around the bush and reject me directly."

Suddenly Shikamaru turned his head to look at her:

"Reject you?!"

She felt a strong wave of irritation for his prevarication:

"Come on, we are killing our friendship anyways, so lets call things its names. You are rejecting me. What you are saying is all true, I…" She closed her eyes for a moment, not noticing completely punch-drunk expression of Shikamaru's face.

_Face it already. Your rapid__ pulse and internal emptiness have nothing to do with hormones._

"…Love you. Have been for a while, as a matter of fact. I was trying my best to save it from you, but failed, and now we both can see results."

She stopped immediately, seeing incomprehensible look of his eyes.

"What are?.."

And next moment his lips were pressed against hers.

_Oh__._

_My._

_God__._

Temari was always considering herself as a good analyst and was proud of her ability to think coolly in every situation. Right now her mind was dissolving without any coherent thought.

Not only was she stunned by the kiss itself, through it was transfixing, but mostly by the fact, that Shikamaru was kissing her.

KISSING HER.

Suddenly she pushed him away and jumped up from the chair. Seething, she groaned:

"What the_ fuck_ was that?"

Grinning, Shikamaru seemed to be completely relaxed:

"I've kissed you, do you have any other suggestions?"

The urge to beat him in bloody pulp never had been as strong as now.

"What kind of freaking mind games are you playing with me, Nara?!"

He tried to catch her hand and was only succeeded in receiving a strong slap.

"Dammit, Temari, come down! I wasn't talking about _you_, but about _myself_._ I_ love_ you_."

She wasn't moving for a good ten seconds, just watching him rubbing his cheek.

"…Come again."

Shikamaru sighed deeply and repeated:

"I was talking about myself. I really thought it was clear, judging from your reaction, you know… Man, you _are _the most troublesome creature in the world, to misunderstand declaration of love," Не smiled and tried to catch her hand again, this time succeeded. He gently pulled slightly dizzy Temari and placed her on his lap without any resistance from her side.

She looked at him uncertainly:

"So you?.."

"Yes, as I said, I love you. Have been for a long time, for your information. And have been loved in return, for MY information."

After that he kissed her again.

This time she wasn't torn apart by doubts. And it was… well, she was certainly even dizzier now.

And wanting more, too.

Apparently he had his non lazy moments.

Shikamaru looked at genuinely smiling young woman on his lap and winked:

"So what if I _am _burning inside to make you my fiancée?"

Leaning down, Temari smirked, brushing her lips against his:

"Oh, shut up with your witty remarks for a while, Crybaby!.."

While crossing last millimeters between their lips he murmured:

"Objecting you is too troublesome."

**A/N**: That's my first entry to FanFiction, so if I have messed somewhere, please, enjoy yourself to show me. Constructive criticism is appreciated.


End file.
